Harry Potter H&Hr Fluff Collection

I'm bringing the collection back to its original roots (being short and cliffhanger-ish).

XXIV

Origami

The bacon was delicious, the pumpkin juice was sweet, and everything was going well for her, as she sat on her seat.

Hermione ate her breakfast at the Great Hall one Friday morning. For reasons unknown, she seemed happy and jovial. Was it the food? The sunny day? Or was it the fact she aced a test yesterday?

Neither of them, she was happy due to the fact she helped her friend, Harry with a girl problem. Not that it was an obligation for her to be happy at that, it was because the last week, she and Harry went into an argument which made them not talk for some time until yesterday. It all ended when Harry asked Hermione some girl advice.

And boy, was that a strange thing…

Hermione remembered what she and Harry talked about yesterday…

- - -

“Hermione?”

Hermione looked at Harry with a stern look. She was sitting at the corner of the common room.

“Yes?” she asked with a tone of authority

At this tone, she noticed Harry wincing.

“I - er - never mind” he mumbled and took a turn away from her.

“Wait,” Hermione said, changing her tone “Look - sorry”

Harry turned to her and they both shared a minute glance.

“Sorry for what?” Harry asked in a significant tone

“Sorry for the little thing I said to you,” she admitted in a kind voice “You know… yesterday?”

“Oh, that” Harry said wryly “Well, how could I forget your sudden hostility -“

“Harry, you accused me of being a `user'” Hermione pointed out “You thought I was taking you for granted!”

“Are you?” Harry asked sternly

“No, never in my life” Hermione said giving Harry a gentle look “I don't even know why you thought so”

“You hardly talk to me when I enter a room!” Harry said “Before, we kept on talking and that stuff… now, it's rare”

“I'm busy with lots of things” Hermione countered “Harry, don't you remember who you're talking to? It's me, Hermione, the one who is busy” she smiled

Then after a few seconds of silence.

“Look, I'm sorry for things yesterday…” Harry said “I just want it to end, okay? I had to say something, because it's been bothering me that you're more interested to talk with Ron over there” he gestured to Ron, who's playing chess with Neville “than me”

“Wrong place at the wrong time, Harry.” Hermione said “Don't think that,” she gestured him to sit down which Harry did “I trust you a lot, you know that?”

“I know,” Harry said “Ugh! I shouldn't have said anything yesterday”

“Harry, don't” Hermione said as she placed a hand on his shoulder “Let's just put this behind us, okay?”

Harry smiled and nodded.

“Thanks, Hermione…”

“So, what is that you need?” Hermione asked

“What?” Harry asked with a near smirk

“Well, obviously you came to me for something” she said

“What ever gave you that idea?”

“Who is she?” Hermione asked in a teasing tone “I've been hearing you've been eyeing a girl for a while now”

She knew she struck gold when Harry blushed.

“Hahaha, that's not what you heard” Harry fumbled his fingers

“I heard what they said” said Hermione “You came to me for what? Girl advice?”

“Well… yeah, you're good at deduction” he smiled weakly

“So what is it?” Hermione asked

“I need to let her know that there's someone who likes her, but in a way that I'm letting her know but she doesn't know it's me” said Harry “The thing is… I don't know how to do that.”

“Since when did you go all dramatic?” Hermione smiled amusingly “Secret admirer tactics? I thought the Harry I know is a straightforward man!”

“Very funny,” Harry said sarcastically “Can you help me?”

“Sure, anything for a friend” she said “So… do you have any details apart from her being a girl?”

“She's sweet, kind and pretty… well to me anyway” Harry said in a halfheartedly voice

“Sweet, kind… pretty?” Hermione ticked them off with her fingers “And you want her to know you like her but never know it's you?”

“Something like that, yes… but in a way that she can suspect that it's me” Harry said

“Hmmmm…” Hermione tapped her chin “I got it!”

“What, what?” Harry asked desperately

“Back in my days at Muggle school, during Valentine's Day, our class would make origami”

“Okay…” Harry said sounding a bit lost “Go on,”

“With the made origami, everyone gives the origami to their Valentine secretly…” she stared into space a bit “That was a great day,”

Hermione was staring into a dreamlike state when Harry said

“Hermione? Hermione?” he waved a hand in front of her face “Hermione!”

She snapped out of her reverie and shook her head.

“Oh,” she giggled “So sorry! I - I was just having a trip down memory lane”

“Yeah, I noticed” Harry said bluntly “So… you're telling me to make an origami and give it to her as a sign of saying `I like you'?”

“Of course, origami's can't go without a design” Hermione pointed out “Add something that makes her think you really like her… like a heart”

“Original,” Harry chuckled “What else?”

“Maybe something very colorful and something artistic so she can tell that you really, really worked hard on it for her” she smiled “Ooh, and add your initials!”

“That's good, that way, she will be looking around for a person with the letters `H' and `P'” Harry said “Anything else?”

“Er… oh yeah, I suggest you make an origami of a crane since it's traditional, it's pretty and… ah! It helps contribute to a thousand cranes!”

“What?”

“Never mind that last bit,” Hermione chuckled “So there… you're all set”

“Origami, give it to her secretly and wait for results” Harry checked “That's good… thanks, Hermione”

“No problem,” she smiled

- - -

“Hey,”

Hermione looked up from her bacon to see Harry sitting down beside her.

“Hi, Harry” she smiled at him “So? Did you give it to her?”

“Not yet,” Harry said in a slight nervous tone “I - I don't' really feel like I can do it”

“What?” Hermione looked at him disbelievingly “You can't give up now, Harry. What's wrong? Is it hard to do it?”

“Yes,” Harry said “I can't seem to put this damn origami” he patted the pocket of his robes “inside her bag!”

“I think there's more to that, isn't it?” Hermione observed him

Harry glanced at Hermione and looked at the table.

“Yes… yes there is” he admitted

“Tell me,” Hermione bent her head lower to look into Harry's eyes

“I don't feel like I should do this,” Harry said “What if it backfires? What if she sees the origami, scoffs at it and throws it away?”

“She won't!” Hermione exclaimed “I doubt she would, especially when you worked so hard on it”

“You haven't seen it yet,” Harry said pointedly

“Well…” Hermione stared away from him “I know that… er - can I see it?”

“No,” Harry said and winced when Hermione frowned “Sorry, I just want her to be the first one to see it, that's all”

“Oh…” for some reason, Hermione felt disappointed that Harry won't show it to her first “Um, that's understandable… when can I get to see it then?”

“Don't worry, you will see it eventually” Harry said inexplicably

“So anyway… you don't have to worry about her not liking it” said Hermione “She has to love it”

“How `bout you?” Harry asked “What would you do if someone gave you an origami?”

“I would be flattered,” Hermione said with a slight blush “Well, back at my old school, someone gave me an origami frog but sadly, I never knew who gave it to me… and the origami frog went down the gutter when I went back home…

“Apart from that,” she continued “I'd really care for it now if someone gave it to me and it's nice to know how that person thinks of me” she smiled

“So to put it in simple terms, you won't scoff at it and throw it away?” Harry asked

“Yes,” said Hermione “Besides, no girl in their right mind would throw away a nice gesture unless she's a Parkinson”

Harry laughed.

“You really think she'll like it?” Harry said

“Yes, definitely. Why would a girl pass up a chance to have the Boy Who Lived courting her?” she smiled “You'll do fine,”

Hermione drank her pumpkin juice, took a bite of her bacon and grabbed her bag.

“Well, I'm off to Ancient Runes, care to walk with me?” Hermione asked nicely

“Sure,” Harry said as he stood up “C'mon, Double Potions doesn't start for another hour so I won't be busy,”

“Let's go then,”

The two walked out of the Great Hall and made their way upstairs in the Grand Staircase while avoiding the moving stairs that causes students to get lost.

“So… where is Ron?” Hermione asked “I haven't seen him this morning”

“He's having an argument with Ginny again,” Harry said as they stepped on the first landing and walked up another step “Nothing big,”

“I'll say, they're brother and sister” Hermione giggled “Gosh, this book is heavy”

Hermione fumbled with the library book she borrowed yesterday for Ancient Runes. She lifted the strap of her bag with difficulty using her right hand while carrying the heavy book with her other hand.

“I think you need help,” Harry said as he took Hermione's book from her “Wow! This is heavy!”

“Good, you need it for your Quidditch match next month” Hermione said jokingly “Thank you, by the way”

“No problem,” Harry winced as they reached the lengthy fifth floor corridor “I'm returning the favor.”

Hermione hoisted the strap of her bag and looked at Harry's transfixed state towards her book.

“Want to sit in at Ancient Runes class, Harry?” she grinned

“No,” Harry said “I was just… seeing what the book's title was” he said rather lamely

“You and your wonders, Harry” she rolled her eyes as she walked ahead of him

Hermione looked at her wristwatch to see it was a few minutes before eight for her class. She looked ahead and saw her usual classmates at the queue outside of the room.

“Harry, don't trail behind!” she laughed

“This book is heavy” Harry said as he followed her “Sorry for the little delay back there, I was trying to get my legs back up” he added in sarcasm

“Sorry for borrowing a heavy book then” Hermione said in reply sarcasm “But thanks for the carrying it for me” she smiled as she reached out her hand “I can take it from here,”

Harry nodded and gave it to Hermione. She held it around her arm and looked at Harry.

“Looks like we part ways for an hour until Potions,” she said “Thanks for the time, Harry”

“No, thank you” Harry said “Take care, Hermy” he said as he waved goodbye, turned on his heel and walked away.

Hermione sighed as she smirked at Harry's walking figure. She turned around to the queue and saw one of her classmates.

“Hi, Hermione” said a girl with black hair who wore purple underneath “How was your day so far?”

“Pretty early to ask that, Wendy, don't you think?” she grinned as she leaned against the wall

“I see you borrowed the book professor recommended to look up,” said Wendy “Do you mind if I take a peek?”

“Sure, why not?” Hermione said as she handed the book to Wendy “It's quite - “

“Heavy!” Wendy gasped as she grabbed it from Hermione “Oh - wait - there, now I can read it”

While she was reading, Hermione checked her bag for any missing materials. She nodded when she saw they were complete.

“What's this?” Wendy asked as she pulled out a green paper crane from inside Hermione's library book “Hermione?”

Hermione turned to Wendy and furrowed her brow as she took the paper crane from Wendy's fingertips.

“Well?” Wendy asked

“Oh,” Hermione said as she pulled two paper wings making it look three-dimensional. Hermione then covered her mouth as she looked at the paper crane designed with hearts, some wavy lines there and initials of “H.P.”

“What is it?” asked Wendy

Hermione stared into the corridor hoping to see Harry but he wasn't there anymore and with a relaxed sigh, Hermione answered

“It's an origami crane.”

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